1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a apparatus and method for use in decorative fabric quilt production. Specifically, the invention is directed to an apparatus and method for preparation of appliques for use in quilt item production.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One common form of quilt production calls for the creation of appliques to be applied to a quilted item. An applique is a piece of fabric cut in a desired shape and then sewn onto a background fabric. By repeating appliques or combining them with different shaped appliques, the artisan creates specific scenes, objects or pictures and/or geometric patterns or designs.
In order to avoid fraying and to create a clean edge, it is required that the cut edge of each applique be finished or sewn under the applique during its attachment. In this regard, numerous techniques have been developed.
In hand sewn appliques, it is most common for the seam to be finished by any of the following methods: covering the raw edges with stitches; needle turn of the edges; English paper piecing; reverse applique; freezer paper methods; or template, starch or glue method. In machine-sewn appliques, the seams are most commonly finished by: the raw edges being covered with satin or decorative stitches; or the edges being turned under, stitching with a hem stitch, straight stitch, or decorative stitch.
Although the finishing of the raw edges of the appliques with overcast stitches is the simplest technique, it does not create the most professional appearance possible.
In needle turn appliques, a pattern is used to trace a shape onto the applique fabric and the shape is cut out including a small (e.g. 3/16") seam allowance. The same shape is then traced onto a background fabric to be used as a guide for placement and stitching. The applique is held in place over the guideline and the two fabrics with outlines are aligned by turning under the seam allowance with the needle as the applique is sewn into place. This procedure is known to be quite time consuming and as requiring a substantial amount of skill in order to create a professional product.
In paper piecing technique, numerous templates are cut out to the exact shape of the desired appliques. One paper piece template is needed for each and every element to be appliqued (e.g. if a flower has four petals and there is to be four flowers, sixteen petals must be cut from paper). The applique fabric is then cut out of slightly larger fabric to provide a 3/16 to 1/4" seam allowance. Using the paper templates, the seam allowance is folded over the edges of the template and basted directly to the paper so that the paper is encased by the fabric on all sides. Once the prepared shape is completely stitched to the background fabric, the background fabric is then cut away from the back of the applique and the paper is torn away. Again this is a time consuming and tedious process. Moreover, this procedure requires the cutting of the background fabric, with its inherent weakening of the final quilt.
In the reverse applique technique, the desired shape is traced onto the background fabric. A contrasting fabric is placed underneath and secured in place. The shape is then cut out leaving 3/16" inside seam allowance. The background fabric is turned under to the marked line and stitched to the contrasting fabric that was placed underneath. Again, this technique requires substantial skill and patience to accomplish effectively.
The freezer paper method employs templates cut from freezer paper which includes a thin layer of plastic. The plastic reacts to heat from an iron and will temporarily adhere to fabric. The plastic coated side of the paper is placed face up on the applique fabric and the cut edges of the applique are folded up and over the paper template. The edges of the applique are then caused to adhere to the coating by application of an iron. This method has a number of drawbacks, including that it requires tedious cutting of templates, that fingers are easily burned with the delicate ironing work required, and that the background fabric must be cut to remove the template after attachment.
The template and starch/glue method employs a reusable template of plastic or heavy paper cut to the exact size and shape of the desired applique. The fabric is cut with a 3/16" or 1/4" seam allowance surrounding the desired shape and the template is centered on the back side of the fabric. In the glue method, a fabric adhesive is applied around the perimeter of the shape and the seam allowance is folded over the template and adhered with the glue. The glued applique is then stitched to the background fabric and the template is removed when the background fabric is cut away from the back of the quilt. Although this method is far easier than some of the previously discussed methods, it still believed to be too time consuming. Moreover, this method often results in stained or discolored fabrics and still requires the undesirable cutting of the background material.
The same basic method is used in the starch method, only fabric starch and a hot iron are used to fold the seam allowance over the template. Starch is sprayed or daubed onto the fabric and the seam allowance is manually folded over the template and hot ironed into place. Although still requiring considerable time and manual dexterity to successfully iron the fabric around the template and to avoid injury from the hot iron, here the template can be removed prior to sewing if the starch and iron succeeded in creating a defined edge--thus avoiding the need to cut the background fabric. Alternatively, the template can be kept in place and removed by cutting the background fabric. Again, this method is believed to be less than fully acceptable.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method for preparing appliques in a quick, easy, safe and uniform manner.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus and method which requires minimal skill or manual dexterity, even for the creation of relatively complex appliques.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus and method which permits appliques to be easily attached to a quilt without the need for cutting or otherwise altering or weakening the quilt or its background fabric.
It is another object of the present invention to provide the benefits of the starch and ironing process while making that process easier, safer and quicker.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus and method which shortens preparation time and effort by avoiding the need for tracing the applique shape onto the fabric.
These and other objects of the present invention will become evident from review of the following specification.